Zugg Software :: View topic - Mapper problems, crashes and usability gripes

Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

I am quite new to cmud (with only a little experience with zmud also), and this is my first post.

I've been experiencing crashes when editing exits on the map. I open the properties of a room and try to relink an exit and then the app freezes hard with an Access Violation error. Sometimes I get the little 'continue?' dialog, but clicking the continue box does nothing, so I have to employ task manager to get any further. This seems to happen with some links rather than others, whether that means anything.

When I try to send a bug report from inside cmud (after a crash) it asks for my name and email address, but then I can't get any further. Is this intentional?

I also notice that I can't change the color of rooms in the map. Is this feature disabled on purpose?

Also, is there a way for rooms to get their title displayed automatically? Do I really have to right-click on every single room individually and choose 'middle' from the label submenu???? Can't I get the room label to be drawn in the middle by default?

How does 'merge rooms' work? I select two rooms, and then 'merge rooms'. Seems to do nothing.

Finally, I think the usability of the mapper takes a LOT to be desired. Ctrl-P often opens the print dialog (as it would with almost any other app) instead of the room properties box, and I miss other common features such as space+drag to scroll around the map. Using the scroll wheel to zoom the map is frankly a bizarre choice. There are many ill-considered design choices for what is (or will be) a commercial product. For example, I think it is poor usability design to display editing features when the map is locked. If a feature is not functional, it should be visibly disabled (grayed-out) or hidden.

But the crashing is a much more serious problem, and more than just irritating.

Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:43 am

Which version of CMUD are you using? The mapper is currently being rewritten - 2.37 has the old mapper, the newest beta, 3.03 has a very different mapper, so it's important to know. Which version of Windows you're using helps, too. The crashes you were experiencing are hopefully gone in 3.03.

Rooms need to be stacked together to merge - you move two rooms on top of each other, and then Ctrl+G will merge all the rooms in the stack.

Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Yes, it is 2.37 - I downloaded it a couple of days ago. Should have mentioned the version. I am on XP.

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

The mapper also has a lock feature. When you are in mapping mode it unlocks, and can be unlocked in follow mode by clicking on the lock icon in the toolbar or by script. This is to prevent accidental changes. It is likely you had it locked when you were trying to change the color of a room.

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:08 pm

Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:17 pm

Put the mouse just to the left of the Room Color text and a selection box will appear.

Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Ok that worked - but gee whiz - an invisible/occult color picker? perhaps you will sympathise with my usability gripes!!!

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

As was said above, the mapper in 2.37 is a straight port of the mapper in zmud, with only the most minimal changes necessary to get it working. The problem described also existed in zmud, I believe (I think the default color was displaying as transparent, until changed, or something weird like that). The next version will have a complete update of the mapper, and has great new features. Work is in progress and looks good, except for the bugs you expect in a beta version.

Novice Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 41

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:36 pm

Zannai you won't get a reply to your bug reports. They are, however, entered into a database that Zugg uses to help prioritize his work.

As for the failed import of the map earlier beta version failed if you had a zMapper modified map. So delete you *.dbm file (the mapper file format), get the latest beta and redo the import. It should work then. If it doesn't you should also send a copy of your map (and description of the problem) support@zuggsoft.com